Nationals recall first baseman Andrés Chaparro from minors

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals recalled slugging first baseman Andrés Chaparro from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old Chaparro is hitting .274 with 15 homers in 53 minor league games this season. Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo said Chaparro would play primarily against left-handers, and he was in the lineup Tuesday night against New York Mets lefty David Peterson.

Chaparro had the Nationals’ first two hits in their 8-1 loss to the Mets, a single in the third inning and a double in the sixth. He also made a fine play at first, sliding to stop Brandon Nimmo’s hard grounder down the line and tossing it to pitcher Jake Irvin for the out.

It’s the second stint in the majors this season for Chaparro, who debuted last year and is a .205 batter with four homers in 37 major league games.

Infielder José Tena was optioned to Triple-A.

Last-place Washington released veteran first baseman Nathaniel Lowe last week. The Nationals also have veteran Josh Bell at the position.

Also Tuesday, Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray threw live batting practice as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery that he had in July of last year.

Right-hander Travis Sykora, the Nationals’ top pitching prospect, was scheduled to have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament that was diagnosed last month.

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